Improved circulating sugar-boiler



F. HOARD;

Sugar Boiler.

Patented May 30," 1838.

N PETERS. Phclo-lilhngmynhon Wnhinglum n, c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS HOARD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED CJRCULATING SUGAR-BOILER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 76 I dated May 30, 1838.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS HOARD, of Boston, in the countyof Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Machine for Boiling Sugar, called Hoards Circulating Sugar-Boiler, which is described as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawing of the same, making part of this specification.

This circulating sugar-boiler consists of a rectangular flue, H, sixteen feet long (of copper) by four feet broad, and by two feet in depth, made in four pieces, each four feet long, with flanges one foot broad standing at right angles outward from the ends of each piece. Through the flue stand six rows of copper tubes, T, three inches in diameter, placed in a vertical position equidistant transversely from each other, but longitudinally they may be placed within one inch of each other. Around the bottom and two sides of the aforesaid flue I place a cast-iron vessel, A, leaving a space, S, of eight inches between it and the flue. This vessel is made in lengths of nearly four feet each, with flanges standing outward at right angles from the ends about three inches. In'bolting the aforesaid pieces together, the flanges of the flue are to be secured between the flanges of the iron vessel, so that four flanges will be bolted together at each joint, except the ends, where there will be but two. This being done, the vessel will be formed into four distinct compartments, (numbered 1 2 3 4,) in the bottom of each of which will be placed a door, F, of about three and a half feet square, hinged upon one side and secured with screw-bolts, so as to be opened at pleasure, for the purpose of cleaning or repairing the boiler with facility. When the doors are closed, they form a liquid-tight joint, which will be effected by inserting a piece of gasketing between them and the bottom of the vessel. These .doors should be formeda little concave on the inside, with cocks Lin the center of each, for the purpose of drawing off the liquor in that part of the process of sugar-making called boiling off. Three of the compartments of the before-described vessel are at times connected near the bottom by means of two bent pipes, B, three inches caliber, with cocks M through them, of which more will be said, as well as of the other cocks, in describing the mode of working the boilers. Upon the edge of the aforesaid cast-iron vessel l build, three feet high, with wood, G, projectingit outward so as to increase the dimensions of the apparatus at the top'to about twenty feet in length by about ten feet in width, having three transverse partitions, P, joined to the flanges of the flue, and extending in height within two, four,

and six inches of the top of the apparatus, the

highest partition being placed next'the com partment which is disconnected from the other three. The inside of the wooden part of this apparatus I cover with sheet-lead, and around the top of it I place a trough or gutter, E, for

the purpose of taking awaythe skimmings.

Reference being had to the drawing, A A A A represent the cast-iron vessel in four pieces; H H H H, the flue joined to the castiron vessel at the flanges; I I I I, the compartments numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4; B B, the bent pipes and cooks connecting the compartments 2, 3, and 4; G, the large cock for drawing offv the sugar; D, the door for the convenience of cleaning the flue; J, the brick furnace; E, the

skimmings gutter; F F F F, the doors affording a facility of cleaning and repairing the boiler; Q, the cane-juice, colored red.

Mode of working the boiler: Fill the apparatus with cane or other juice to within about eighteen inches of the top, after which make fire in the furnace, and as the juice boils away 'more must be received into compartment No.

top of the flue, after which the teache must be.

charged immediately, in order to prevent the sugar remaining in the teache from running too high or burning. The process of skimming is exceedingly simple; indeed, the compartments 1, 2, and 3, in a great measure, skim'themselves. Most of the skimmings deposit themselves in the back end of the compartment 4, from whence they can be removed with very little labor. Once a week will be quite often enough to boil off, as it produces a waste of fuel and manual labor, and the apparatus will not require cleaning oftener. In boiling off the liquor will be charged forward, by means of the cocks B B, until it comes down nearly to the level of the top of the flue, when the cock B connecting the compartments 3 and 4 must be closed, and the remaining liquor in compartment 4 drawn off, by means of the cock underneath, into a boX or cistern, wherein should be placed a'p'ump-for charging it up into compartment 3. The same cistern and pump will answer for charging the liquor from any one compartment to another. As soon as any one or more compartments are emptied of liquor, they must be filled above the flue with water. Beforetaking off the last strike of sugar the fire must be extinguished, when all the sugar may be discharged and the teache charged with water.

An instrument similar to the one used for cleaning the inside of gun-barrels will be found serviceable in cleaning the tubes, and one upon the sides of the flue.

I have herein described one size and one modification of my circulating sugar-boiler, and also the mode of working it; but I do not confine myself to the size, modification, or materials herein specified, nor to any precise mode of working it, either of which may be deviated from as circumstances call for.

That to which I lay especial claim as my invention, discovery, or improvement may be enumerated as follows:

1. The application of the within-described flue to the purpose of making sugar from any suitable juices. l

2. The general modification of the entire apparatus to the purpose of making sugar.

3. The mode herein specified of charging forward the liquor and taking off the sugar.

February 9, 1833.

FRANCIS HOARD. WVitnessesi I. STATHAM, ADAM FLEIJLIGER. 

